ASPEN Founder Stanley J. Dudrick, MD, FACS, FASPEN to Receive the First-ever Lifetime Achievement Award for his Life-Saving TherapyFebruary 18, 2017, Silver Spring, MD: The inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award, given to The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition’s (ASPEN) first president, Stanley J. Dudrick, MD, FACS, FASPEN is a focal point for this year’s Clinical Nutrition Week (CNW), taking place in Orlando, Florida. Other highlights from the week will include recognition of leaders in the field as well as discussions on recently published data related to malnutrition among U.S. hospitalized patients. “This year’s CNW will be particularly inspirational as we honor Dr. Dudrick, the individual who truly is the father of parenteral nutrition,” said Charlene Compher, PhD, RD, CNSC, LDN, FADA, FASPEN, President of ASPEN. Dr. Dudrick is widely recognized and respected throughout the scientific, academic, and clinical world for his innovative and pioneering research in the development of the specialized central venous feeding technique known as parenteral nutrition. “Dr. Dudrick’s pioneering spirit, novel research, and dedication to advancing optimal care have inspired other medical professionals to enter the field. His mentorship is legendary. Most importantly, his work has benefited thousands of patients over the years,” explained Compher. The 2017 Stanley Dudrick Research Scholar Award, named in Dr. Dudrick’s honor, will be presented to Sadeq A. Quraishi, MD, MHA, MMSc, Assistant Professor of Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Quraishi’s research focuses on identifying risk factors for suboptimal perioperative outcomes and on promoting cost-effective solutions to improve the care of surgical patients. He will be recognized for his work in the area of immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D, implications of vitamin D in perioperative settings, and its potential impact on critically ill patients. Another highly anticipated and prestigious award, the Harry M. Vars Award, will also be presented at the conference. The award is a tribute to Dr. Vars’ work exploring the role of intravenous nutrition in wound healing, an important catalyst in the development of parenteral nutrition. This award is presented to the early career investigator with the best oral research presentation and manuscript. The five candidates for the 2017 award are:

Other topics receiving attention at CNW include a new statistical brief, “All-Cause Readmissions Following Hospital Stays for Patients With Malnutrition,” co-authored by ASPEN, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX). The brief, released shortly before CNW, shows that malnutrition in U.S. hospitalized patients is associated with a more than 50 percent higher rate of readmission within 30 days, compared to patient stays not identified with malnutrition. In addition, the average cost is nearly $17,000 per patient for readmission following hospitalization involving malnutrition. “With the annual cost of disease-associated malnutrition at $156.7 billion, this conference has never been more timely,” said Debra BenAvram, FASAE, CAE, ASPEN’s Chief Executive Officer. “The best practices shared here provide actionable guidance for clinicians as they seek to reduce costs, increase the speed of recovery, and optimize healthy outcomes for all patients.” Clinical Nutrition Week and its activities are not open to the public and the conference is limited to registered attendees and exhibitors only. For more information, please visit http://www.nutritioncare.org/CNW/.

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The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) is dedicated to improving patient care by advancing the science and practice of nutrition support therapy and metabolism. Founded in 1976, ASPEN is an interdisciplinary organization whose members are involved in the provision of clinical nutrition therapies, including parenteral and enteral nutrition. With more than 6,500 members from around the world, ASPEN is a community of dietitians, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physicians, scientists, students and other health professionals from every facet of nutrition support clinical practice, research and education. For more information about ASPEN, please visit www.nutritioncare.org.]]>